Ancient Greek and Modern Education.

Developed by Steve Cooke

The webaddress for this activity is:
http://www.collaborativelearning.org/ancientgreekeducation.pdf
Last updated:27th May 2009

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING PROJECT

Project Director: Stuart Scott
We support a network of teaching professionals throughout the European Union to promote inclusive education. We develop and disseminate accessible talk-for-learning activities in all subject
areas and for all ages.
17, Barford Street, Islington, London N1 0QB UK Phone: 0044 (0)20 7226 8885
Website: http://www.collaborativelearning.org
BRIEF SUMMARY OF BASIC PRINCIPLES BEHIND OUR TEACHING ACTIVITIES:
The project is a teacher network, and a non-prot making educational trust. Our main aim is to develop and disseminate classroom tested examples of effective group strategies that promote talk
across all phases and subjects. We hope they will inspire you to develop and use similar strategies in other topics and curriculum areas. We want to encourage you to change them and adapt them
to your classroom and students. We run teacher workshops, swapshops and conferences throughout the European Union. The project posts online many activities in all subject areas. An online
newsletter is also updated regularly.
*These activities are inuenced by current thinking about the role of language in learning. They are designed to help children learn through talk and active learning in small groups. They work
best in non selective classes where children in need of language or learning support are integrated. They are well suited for the development of speaking and listening . They provide teachers
opportunities for assessment of speaking and listening.
*They support differentiation by placing a high value on what children can offer to each other on a particular topic, and also give children the chance to respect each others views and formulate
shared opinions which they can disseminate to peers. By helping them to take ideas and abstract concepts, discuss, paraphrase and move them about physically, they help to develop thinking skills.
*They give children the opportunity to participate in their own words and language in their own time without pressure. Many activities can be tried out in pupils rst languages and afterwards in
English. A growing number of activities are available in more than one language, not translated, but mixed, so that you may need more than one language to complete the activity.
*They encourage study skills in context, and should therefore be used with a range of appropriate information books which are preferably within reach in the classroom.
*They are generally adaptable over a wide age range because children can bring their own knowledge to an activity and refer to books at an appropriate level. The activities work like catalysts.
*All project activities were planned and developed by teachers working together, and the main reason they are disseminated is to encourage teachers to work more effectively with each other
inside and outside the classroom. They have made it possible for mainstream and language and learning support teachers to share an equal role in curriculum delivery. They should be adapted to
local conditions. In order to help us keep pace with curriculum changes, please send any new or revised activities back to the project, so that we can add them to our lists of materials.

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/ancientgreekeducation.pdf

Ancient Greek Child

School
age

We start school when we

are seven years old.

Modern child
We start school when we
are three years old.

What they
learn

We learn reading, writing,

arithmetic, music and poetry

We learn English, maths, science,

ICT and lots of other things.

Reading

We read long poems which we

have to learn by heart.

We read lots of stories and

information books.

Arithmetic

We use an abacus to help us

learn to add and subtract.

We do mental maths and

use calculator.

Exercise

Writing
Who the school
was for

We have P.E. every afternoon.

We have P.E. once or twice

a week.

We write on wax tablets

with a sharp stylus.

We write on paper with

pens and pencils.

Only children from rich

families go to school.

There are boys and girls at

our school.

What kind of
children go to
school

Only boys go to school. Girls

stay at home

Class size

There are eight children in

our class.

There are twenty-seven

children in our class.

Classroom
furniture

We sit on stools in a circle

around the teacher.

We sit in groups at tables.

Getting to
school

A slave brings me to school

Discipline

The slave hits me if I am

naughty

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/ancientgreekeducation.pdf

All children go to school

I walk to school by myself

The teacher tells me off if

I am naughty.

Ancient Greek Child

School
age
What they
learn
Reading

Arithmetic

Exercise

Writing
Who the school
was for
What kind of
children go to
school
Class size
Classroom
furniture
Getting to
school
Discipline
http://www.collaborativelearning.org/ancientgreekeducation.pdf

Modern child

Ancient Greece
They start school at seven years old.
They start school at three years old.
They learn to read and write.
They write the Greek alphabet
They write with pens and pencils
They write with a sharp stylus.
They write on wax tablets.
They write on paper.
They learn to add and subtract.
They use an abacus.
They use calculators.
They read poetry.
They have music lessons.
They do P.E. every afternoon.
They do P.E. once or twice a week.
Only boys go to school.
Boys and girls go to school.
Only children from rich families go to school.
There are about eight children in the class.
The children sit down in the classroom.
They sit on stools.
They sit at tables in groups.
Slaves bring the children to school.
The children come to school on their own.
http://www.collaborativelearning.org/ancientgreekeducation.pdf

Modern

Ancient
Greece

Modern

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/ancientgreekeducation.pdf